


close as strangers

by dropthegloves



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Chicago Blackhawks, Columbus Blue Jackets, Fluff, M/M, Sad, Trades
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-07-31
Packaged: 2018-12-09 02:59:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11660223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dropthegloves/pseuds/dropthegloves
Summary: now it feels we're as close as strangers...or, Pat and Artemi's relationship hits a rough patch after Temi is traded to the blue jackets.





	1. you and i are running out of time

**Author's Note:**

> this took a long time to write, sorry about that. i was trying to compose myself. this is the first fanfic i've written, so bear with me! i don't speak russian, so i'm sorry if i make any mistakes. warning: this take place during a whole season so there's lots of time skips. it's sad but how could it not be? title is from 5sos' song

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Working out their relationship from miles away is not as easy as Pat and Temi thought it would be. In fact, it's quite the opposite.

Pat doesn't know how to react to the trade. It's hard and unexpected, sure, but he can't even think past the fact of what will he do without Artemi? Add in the fact that he can’t even get a hold of his boyfriend, who’s somewhere off the grid in Russia, and Pat just wants to curl up and cry.

 

When the season finally starts, Pat is thinking of one thing and one thing only - their second game is against the jackets, and he can hopefully catch up with Temi. Meanwhile, Temi is worried about what’s gonna happen when they reunite. Temi makes sure he wears his nicest suit, and Pat almost melts when he sees him. 

“я скучал по тебе!” Temi says quietly as he pulls Pat into a tight hug. Pat feels his knees going weak, and he clutches Temi tighter.

“I missed you too, детка.” They pull away, and Temi smiles weakly at Pat. The two gaze longingly into each other’s eyes, lost, for a moment before one of the jackets calls Artemi’s name and interrupts them. Artemi sighs, and holds up a hand to signal that he’ll be there in a minute.

“Will see again soon?” Temi questions. But his doubt and insecurity that they won’t be the same next time around, that they won’t be able to work things out with the distance, is left hanging in the air around them. 

“Yes, детка, I promise. We’ll be okay Temi. я люблю тебя” Pat tries to reassure, but he’s not sure if he said that more for Artemi or himself. And maybe his voice wobbles when he gets to the ‘okay’ part, but that doesn’t matter, right? They love each other and they can find a way to make this work.

 

Pat should have seen this coming, but somehow it still comes as a shock to him when their relationship is reduced to late night skype calls and erratically sent text messages. It’s hockey, it’s his dream, and he should feel happy under the lights of all those stadiums, but instead all he feels is heartbreak and longing. It’s Artemi’s dream too, and he should be there to live it out with Pat. That hurts more than any injury of Pat’s ever could. To make things worse, when they do talk on the phone, Artemi seems so broken and insecure, so worried about them not lasting, and Pat's heart aches. He doesn't want to give up, but a nagging thought in his mind is questioning if this is all even worth it. If they're already about as close as strangers, how damaging could it be to let go and move on? He angrily blocks that thought from his mind, because thinking of life without Artemi as his boyfriend is unbearable.

 

Every day that passes gets worse, makes things hurt more. The postseason is creeping up, and the calls have been reduced to only once a week or so. Pat knows Artemi is debating just giving up, he can hear it when they talk, and he pleads silently for Temi to stay. But how can he convince Temi when he can't even convince himself?

"We need talk." The words greet Pat when he answers the phone. Playoffs just started and life is getting hectic, the Hawks are fighting their way to another Cup, and he doesn't need this. Please no, he thinks to himself. Please not now, or ever.

"We not okay, Kaner." Temi continues, "Maybe take break? Talk again after playoffs, see if we can fix?" Temi sounds broken as he's saying this, and his English is choppier than normal. He even called Pat 'Kaner', probably for the first time since they got together. Pat suddenly has a really bad feeling about this.

"Temi, детка, I don't want to lose you! Please, don't give up, we can make this work, I promise!" Pat pleads, but Artemi has already made up his mind and will now stand unwavering from it.

"Talk about this soon. я люблю тебя. Will miss, but I think is for best. Bye, Kaner." Temi's voice quiets down and wavers on his last sentence, and there's a small sob just before the line goes dead. Pat's phone clatters to the counter and it feels like the world is closing in on him. Slowly, he crumples to the ground and thinks of how this is all his fault for not trying harder.

 

Jonny finds him later, curled on the floor with tear stained cheeks. Jonny's eyes go wide, trying to figure out what's going on, and Pat just whispers one broken word in response.

"Temi."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry if this was poorly written, or if it broke your heart. hopefully there will be a second part soon!  
> translations (i hope)  
> я скучал по тебе = i missed you  
> детка = baby  
> я люблю тебя = i love you


	2. i'll be coming back to you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pat and Temi reconnect in the offseason to work things out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> here you have it, part two! because i got good feedback and it honestly hurt too much to leave the story like that.

Jonny doesn't know what happened between Pat and Breadman, but considering how Pat's been acting lately, he has to fix it somehow. At the end of the season, he wishes to reach out to Artemi, but decides to let Arty do it instead for better communication and since he can maybe get Artemi to spill the beans easier. So, in the second week of June, Artem calls Temi to figure things out. 

"Temi? What's going on with you and Pat? Did you guys break up?? He's been acting all somber and moody lately and we want it fixed. I don't know what you did, but we gotta make it better." Arty speaks to Temi in an urgent voice.

"NO! We didn't break up! I just thought maybe we should take a break because we had no time to talk or call or anything, and it didn't seem like we were working anymore. Did I mess it up? How can I fix this Arty? I don't want to lose Pat forever..." Temi sounds just about as upset as Pat was, and it's clear to Arty that they both want to stay together, both love each other too much to let go.

"I think I have an idea of what we can do. But you've gotta promise that you want to make this work, because if you don't my plan is worthless." Artem's voice is stern but Temi knows that he's right, and they have to be fully committed to each other if they wish to work things out. Luckily, he is.

 

A month later, Temi finds himself standing outside the door to Pat's apartment in Chicago. Artem and Jonny helped him plan a surprise visit while Pat is in town for the convention. Arty even helped Temi practice what he would say upon arrival. But none of that seems to have mentally prepared Artemi for this, and his hand hesitates above the door. He's unsure of how this might end up, and he's nervous to know how Pat will react to his visit, if he'll even want to talk to Temi. Temi quickly shakes the thought from his mind and knocks on the door before he can chicken out of it. Pat opens the door, and his jaw drops. Instantly, he pulls Temi into a tight hug, and Temi drops his bag to wrap his arms around Pat. He buries his head in Pat's shoulder and deeply inhales the scent he missed so much. It's simply overwhelming.

"So uhm, what brings you here?" Pat asks nervously after Temi's settled in and they've made some tea.

"Wanted to talk. About us." Temi answers, and sees the way Pat's eyes go wide and he shifts nervously in his seat. "Nonono, not bad talk! I want make work, Pat, я люблю тебя! I thought we figure out before new season, and then we be better." Temi explains, and Pat nods his head in response.

"I want this to work too. I've missed you more than anything Temi, and I won't lose you. So how can we work this out?" As soon as Pat's done talking, Temi is ready with a list of things they should do. It needs a lot of trust, but they have an unspoken promise hanging between them, a commitment to each other that's stronger than anything else. And Temi smiles, because it worked out to come here after all. Silently, he thanks Jonny and Arty.

 

Temi ends up staying with Pat for the next few days so they can catch up and spend much-needed time with each other. And when he finally leaves, he feels so much better. He knows that this will work, that he and Pat are okay, and that's all he needs. They have a whole schedule for calls, texts, and visits next season, and they've promised to follow it. They're in love, and no amount of distance can stop that.

"я люблю тебя Pat."

"я люблю тебя Temi."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> originally this wasn't going to exist, but it hurt too much to have a sad ending so i made this :) hopefully it was good and i didn't break your hearts  
> translations:  
> я люблю тебя = i love you

**Author's Note:**

> there y'all have it, i hope you enjoyed! thank you for reading! look out for more works of mine soon :)


End file.
